Support assembly for shelves



Jan; 24, 1967 J. v. FISHER 3,300,169

SUPPORT ASSEMBLY FOR SHELVES Filed Oct. 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan.24, 1967 J. v. FISHER 3,300,169

SUPPORT ASSEMBLY FOR SHELVES Filed. Oct. 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2United States Patent 3,300,169 SUPPORT ASSEMBLY FOR SHELVES Julian V.Fisher, Carpentersville, Ill., assignor to Illinois Tool Works Inc.,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No.500,577 12 Claims. (Cl. 248-239) This invention relates generally tosupports for shelves and the like, and more particularly to a shelfsupport assembly adapted to be secured with facility within an apertureof a sheet metal panel.

The present invention has a very practical application in instanceswhere shelves are to be mounted within a chamber or area bounded bysheet metal panels, as for example the interior of a refrigerator. It isan object of the present invention to provide a shelf support ofextremely simple and practical construction which may be attached to, ordetached from, a sheet metal panel such as the Wall of a refrigerator,with the utmost ease and without the necessity of using assembly toolsof any kind.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf supportassembly which may be anchored in place by merely inserting a shankportion thereof within a preformed aperture of a workpiece such as asheet metal panel and thereafter imparting rotation to the shelf supportso as to effect firm anchorage thereof to the panel.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shelfsupport anchorage device consisting of a fastener shank portion adaptedfor association with a work aperture, and a non-corrosive rotatableshelf support portion cooperatively associated with the fastener portionso that when rotation is imparted to the shelf support portion, it willcause the fastener portion to become permanently afiixed to theapertured panel.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparentfrom the following description when considered with the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a panel having mountedthereon a shelf support member or assembly of the type contemplatedhereby;

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded View of the parts shown in FIG. 1 forthe purpose of more clearly illustrating the shelf support assemblycomponents;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken substantially alongthe line 33 of FIG. 1 prior to the final assembly of the shelf supportmember and its companion shank member to the apertured workpiece orpanel;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 3, disclosing theshelf support assembly parts secured in final position to the workpieceor panel;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the shelf supportcontemplated by the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the shelf support mounted inposition upon a panel;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the part as shown inFIG. 8, said view being taken substantially along the line 9-9 of FIG.8; and

FIG. 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail wherein like numerals havebeen employed throughout the various figures to designate similar parts,one embodiment of the shelf support assembly unit is designatedgenerally by the numeral 10. This assembly unit 10 comprises a shelfsupport member 12, and an anchoring member or fastener shank 14. Theshelf support member 12 is preferably formed of non-corroive materialsuch as a suitable plastic ICC compound and includes a cylindrical bodyportion 16 and a central axially extending cylindrical portion 18 housedwithin the cylindrical body 16. The exterior of the body 16 is providedwith a plurality of circumferentially spaced peripheral ribs 20,continuations of which extend transversely of the outer or closed sideof the body 16. As will later be described, rotation must be imparted tothe shelf support member 12 in order to bring about its permanentassociation with a workpiece or panel 22 provided with an aperture 24 asclearly shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. The aforementioned ribs 20 facilitatemanual gripping of the shelf support 12 when rotation is to be impartedthereto.

The anchor member or fastener shank 14 may be formed of suitable springsheet stock and includes a transverse body portion 26 from which extendtwo yieldable arms 28. The transverse body portion 26 of the shank 14 isapertured to accommodate the cylindrical member 18 as clearly shown inFIG. 3. The material of the transverse body 26 is formed and axiallydeflected so as to present a pair of helical elements 30 which functionas thread helices for impinging the periphery of the member 18 as theshelf support member 12 is rotated from the position shown in FIG. 3 toits final mounted position as shown in FIG. 5. By relatively rotatingthe support member 12 and the anchor member or shank 14 so as to movethe two parts into the assembled relation shown in FIG. 3, the assemblymay be handled as a single unit. With these parts thus assembled, thefree extremities of the arms 28 of the shank 14 may be inserted withinthe complementary noncircular aperture 24.

With the arms 28 inserted within the aperture 24 of the workpiece orpanel 22, rotation may be imparted to the shelf support member 12. Thecomplementary noncircular relationship of the aperture 24 and thecomplementary noncircular cross-section of the shank 14 insures saidshank against rotation within the workpiece 22. With the shank 14 thussecured against rotation within the workpiece 22, continued rotation ofthe shelf support member 12 from the position illustrated in FIG. 3causes the forward tapered or chamfered extremity of the member 18 to bemoved into engagement with struck-out cam sections 28a on the arms 28.This shifts the arms 28 outwardly or laterally, causing lip portions28b, provided at the free extremities of the arms 28, to be moved intooverlapping and interlocking relationship with respect to the oppositelydisposed wall edges defining the noncircular aperture 24. When the shelfsupport member 12 is rotated to its final position as shown in FIG. 5,these lip portions 28b cooperate with the clamping side of the member 12to secure the assembly in permanent association with the workpiece orpanel 22. The coaction between the thread helices 30 of the anchoringshank 14 and the periphery of the softer stud member 18 of the shelfsupport 12 causes the clamping side of said support to be secured firmlyagainst the surface of the workpiece or panel 22. As previously pointedout, the ribs 20 along the periphery of the member 12 facilitate manualrotation of the member. The assembly may be detached from the workpieceas easily as it was applied thereto.

In the shelf supporting device previously described herein the anchormember 12 provides the shelf support per se. There are instances inwhich a shelf support differing in shape or contour from the member 12asshown in FIGS. l-6 inclusive, may be desired. Thus, for example, thepart to be supported may be in the form of a rod or a protuberance On ashelf. In such instances the shape of the member 12 is such as to notadapt itself readily for supporting rods and the like. In FIGS. 7-10inclusive a modified shelf supporting or rod supporting arrangement isdisclosed. In this embodiment the support member per se is designatedgenerally by the numeral 3 32. The support 32 comprises a panel engagingbody portion 34 and a support portion 36 of U-shapedcrosssectionextending laterally of the body or base 34. The support 32is held in place by a screw member 38 as clearly shown in FIG. 9.

It will be noted that the assembly unit previously described inconnection with FIGS. 1-6, inclusive, is now employed as the means foraccommodating the screw member 38. The device as shown in FIGS. 7-10inclusive contemplates mounting the assembly unit 10 inside of the panel22. Thus the assembly unit 10 is mounted upon the panel 22 exactly aspreviously described only it is secured to the inside or insulated sideof the panel. The assembly 10 of FIGS. 7-10, inclusive, is first mountedon the inside of the panel and then surrounded by conventionalinsulating material 40, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The hollow stud 18may be provided with internal threads to accommodate the screw member 38or a thread forming screw may be inserted within the unthreaded stud.The cross-sectional contour of the shelf support 32 is such as toaccommodate a shelf rod or the like. It will be apparent that the deviceas shown in FIGS. 7l0 inclusive makes it possible to employ speciallydesigned supports to meet special needs.

It is preferable to so form the helical impressions 30 as to require theanchor member 12 to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewedfrom FIG. 9 to clamp it against the inner surface of the panel 22. By sodoing, tightening rotation of the screw member 38 will not have thetendency to rotatably urge the anchor member 12 in a looseningdirection. That is to say, any

tendency for the threads of the screw member 38 to impart rotation tothe anchoring member 12 is precluded.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the present inventioncontemplates a very simple, yet rigid shelf support assembly which maybe produced at a very low cost. The shelf support member per se mayconsist of a molded plastic part and the anchor member or fastener shankassociated therewith may be produced by practicing conventional formingand stamping methods from metallic sheet stock. By having the supportmember and the work interlocking anchor member or shank preassembled asabove described, the assembly may be handled very conveniently as asingle unit. Obviously articles or parts other than shelf supports maybe attached to a panel by employing the teachings of the presentinvention. It will also be understood that the present inventioncontemplates an arrangement wherein the anchoring member may serve asthe shelf support per se or may be employed merely as an anchoringdevice to accommodate a shelf support member per se. In FIGS. l-6inclusive the anchoring member of the assembly unit actually functionsas a supporting member, whereas in FIGS. 710 inclusive the sameanchoring .member provides a means for accommodating a supportdescribed. Obviously, the invention contemplates other modifications andchanges and should only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A support assembly for shelves and the like, said assembly includinga shank section of noncircular crosssection for initial insertion withina complementary noncircular work aperture, said shank section havingexpandable work interlocking means, a rotatable support member forshelves and the like having means rotatably engageable with said shanksection to relatively shift said member and shank section axially towardeach other, and means associated with said shank section engageable withsaid anchor member as an incident to relative rotation of said supportmember and shank, whereby to expand said shank section into lockingengagement with the walls defining a complementary work aperture.

2. A support assembly for shelves and the like, said assembly includinga shank section of noncircular crosssection for initial insertion withina complementary noncircular Work aperture, said shank section havingexpandable work interlocking means and stud accommodating means, asupport member for shelves and the like having an axially disposed studmember for rotatable association with said shank section to relativelyshift said member and shank section axially toward each other, and meansassociated with said shank section engageable with the stud member ofsaid support member as an incident to relative rotation of said supportmember and shank section, whereby to interlock said shank section intolooking engagement with the walls defining a complementary Workaperture.

3. A support assembly for shelves and the like, said assembly includinga shank section of noncircular crosssection for initial insertion withina complementary noncircular work aperture, said shank section havingwork interlocking means and means for helically engaging a studperiphery, a support member for shelves and the like having an axiallydisposed stud member rotatably engageable with said shank section torelatively shift said member and shank section axially toward eachother, and means associated with said shank section engageable with thestud member of said support member as an incident to relative rotationof said support member and shank section, whereby to interlock saidshank section with the walls defining a complementary work aperture.

4. A support assembly for shelves and the like, said assembly includinga shank section of noncircular crosssection for initial insertion withina complementary noncircular work aperture, said shank section havingw-ork interlocking means and means for helically engaging a studperiphery, a support member for shelves and the like having an axiallydisposed externally unthreaded stud member rotatably engageable withsaid shank section to relatively shift said member and shank sectionaxially toward each other, and means associated with said shank sectionto be engageable with the stud member as an incident to relativerotation of said support member and shank section, whereby to interlocksaid shank section with the walls defining a complementary workaperture.

5. A support assembly for shelves and the like, said assembly includinga shank section of noncircular crosssection for initial insertion withina complementary noncircular work aperture, said shank section havingwork interlocking means and stud accommodating means, a support memberfor shelves and the like having an axially disposed stud memberrotatably engageable with said shank section to relatitvely shift saidmember and shank section axially toward each other, said support memberincluding an annular body portion spaced radially from said stud memberto accommodate said shank section when said support member and shanksection are drawn axially toward each other, and means associated withsaid shank section engageable with the stud member of said supportmember as an incident to relative rotation of said support member andshank section, whereby to interlock said shank section with the wallsdefining a complementary work aperture.

6. A support assembly for shelves and the like, said assembly includinga shank section of noncircular crosssection for initial insertion wihina complementary noncircular work aperture, said shank section includingaxially extending and laterally yielda-ble elements providing workinterlocking means, a support member for shelves and the like rotatablyengageable with said shank section to relatively shift said member andshank section axially toward each other, and means assocaited with saidshank section engageable with a portion of said support member as anincident to relative rotation of said support member and shank, wherebyto interlock said shank section with the walls defining a complementaryw-ork aperture.

. a 7. A support assembly tor shelves and the like, said assemblyincluding a shank section of noncircular crosssection vfor initialinsertion within a complementary noncircular work aperture, said shanksection having work interlocking means, a support member for shelves andthe like rotatably engageable with said shank section to relativelyshift said member and shank section axially toward each other, saidsupport member having a work clamping si-de, said shank sectionincluding laterally extending means for clampingly engaging the side ofa workpiece oppositely disposed from the clamping side of the supportmember, and means associated with said shank section engageable with aportion of said support member as an incident to relative rotation ofsaid support member and shank, whereby to interlock said shank sectionwith the walls defining a complementary work aperture.

8. A support assembly tfior shelves and the like, said assemblyincluding a shank section of noncircular crosssection for initialinsertion within a complementary noncircular work aperture, said shanksection including a transverse body portion apertured to accommodate astud and laterally yielda'ble extensions from said body providing workinterlocking means, a support member for shelves and the like having anaxially disposed stud member telescopically associated with said shankaperture whereby upon relative rotation of said parts said shank sectionand member will shift relatively axially toward each other, said supportmember having an annular area surrounding said stu-d member foraccommodating said shank section as the parts are drawn together, saidsupport member having a work clamping side means in the vicinity of theouter extremity of said stud section engageable with the side of aworkpiece oppositely disposed from the side adapted to be clampinglyengaged by said support memliner, and means for initiating the expansionof said shank section as an incident to relative rotation of saidsupport member and shank section.

9. A support assembly for shelves and the like, said assembly includinga shank section of noncircular crosssection for initial insertion withina complementary noncircular work aperture, said shank section havingwork interlocking means, a support member for shelves and the likehaving an external periphery rotatably engageable with said shanksection to relatively shift said member and shank section axially towardeach other, said anchor sup port member also having a screwaccommodating aperture and means associated with said shank sectionengageable with a portion of said support member as an incident torelative rotation of said support member and shank, whereby to interlocksaid shank section with the walls defining a complementary workaperture.

.10. A support assembly for shelves and the like, said assemblyincluding a shank section of noncircular crosssection for initialinsertion within a complementary noncircular work aperture, said shanksection having work interlocking means and stud accommodating means, asupport member for shelves and the like having an axially disposed studmember having an external peripheral surface rotatably engageable withsaid shank section to relatively shift said member and shank sectionaxially toward each other, said stud member also having an axial, screwaccommodating aperture and means associated with said shank sectionengageable with the stud member of said support member as an incident torelative rotation of said support member and shank section, whereby tointerlock said shank section with the walls defining a complementarywork aperture.

11. In combination with an apertured panel, a support assembly forshelves and the like including a shank section having a portion ofnoncircular cross-section extending through the panel aperture and aportion for interlocking with a stud periphery, a panel clamping memberhaving a stud presenting an external periphery en-gageable with saidshank section for clamping the assembled parts in position upon saidpanel as an incident to relative rotation between said panel clampingmember and stud, said panel clamping member having an axially disposedscrew accommodating aperture, a support member engaging the side of thepanel oppositely disposed from said panel clamping member, and screwmeans extending into the axial aperture of the anchor member 'forsecuring said support means to said panel.

12. 'In combination with an apertured panel, a support assembly forshelves and the like as set forth in claim 11, wherein the shank sectionis of sheet metal and has a helically formed impression for engaging thestud of the panel clamping member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,179,604 11/1939 Tinne-rman 248239 2,244,978 6/1941 Tinnerman -36 2,626,772 1/ 1953Flora 248239 2,640,672 6/'195-3 =Bedford 248239 2,657,894 11/1953Sklenar 248239 2,745,620 5/ 1956 Murphy 2482'39 3,179,367 4/1965 Rapata248-239 FOREIGN PATENTS 541,908 1-2/ 1941 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

1. A SUPPORT ASSEMBLY FOR SHELVES AND THE LIKE, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDINGA SHANK SECTION OF NONCIRCULAR CROSSSECTION FOR INITIAL INSERTION WITHINA COMPLEMENTARY NONCIRCULAR WORK APERTURE, SAID SHANK SECTION HAVINGEXPANDABLE WORK INTERLOCKING MEANS, A ROTATABLE SUPPORT MEMBER FORSHELVES AND THE LIKE HAVING MEANS ROTATABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SHANKSECTION TO RELATIVELY SHIFT SAID MEMBER AND SHANK SECTION AXIALLY TOWARDEACH OTHER, AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHANK SECTION ENGAGEABLE WITHSAID ANCHOR MEMBER AS AN INCIDENT TO RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID SUPPORTMEMBER AND SHANK, WHEREBY TO EXPAND SAID SHANK SECTION INTO LOCKINGENGAGEMENT WITH THE WALLS DEFINING A COMPLEMENTARY WORK APERTURE.